archaeoastronomy

Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

n. The study of the knowledge, interpretations, and practices of ancient cultures regarding celestial objects or phenomena.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

n. Alternative spelling of archaeastronomy.

Etymologies

archaeo- + astro- + -nomy (Wiktionary)

Examples

Pre-Hispanic civilizations, developed what today is called "archaeoastronomy," planning their cities, as well as much of their social, economic and political activities based on the movements of the stars.

After the event we were able to duck out for a quick beer and delightful, stimulating talk on Colorado archaeology, oggam inscriptions, local fishing, the Alta Mira Press, archaeoastronomy, and the academic life.

"It is Gerald Hawkins and also Alexander Thom to whom we must give credit for reviving serious interest in archaeoastronomy. Hawkins' articles in Nature and Science and finally his book Stonehenge Decoded (1965) drew the attention of astronomers, archaeologists, and the public to the fascinating story of Stonehenge. Hawkins named his studies astroarchaeology, by which he meant the application of astronomy to the understanding of ancient structures." --Ray A. Williamson, Living the Sky - The Cosmos of the American Indian, 1984, p. 12-13